Monsters Like Us
by chewing.on.PEARLS
Summary: What would you think of a powerful ninja that was dropped at the front gates of Konoha unconscious with a painful connection to Orochimaru?Let me rephrase that...what if she was twelve at the time?Updated! AU, GaaxOC!rated 4 language and sexual references
1. Never Apart

A/N:here is my new story!i said I would put it up tonite so here we go!its another gaaraxoc cept it's a little more AU! And it's a little more dodgy! Well I hope u like!

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Chapter 1:

"But why, why, why, why, why?" she wined clinging onto his arm.

"Why must you be so annoying? And dammit Akira I thought I told you not to touch me when I'm driving!"

Akira let go knowing that he only said her real name when he was not in a happy mood. He usually called her Kin; which meant golden. A lot of her friends called her that for her stunning gold eyes and nice tan skin.

"But why not?" she asked as she tilted her head to the side, cutely.

"Cause I don't like the first day of school," he complained dryly. "So I'm not going."

"It's because of you and Sasuke's fangirls isn't it?" she asked as she crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

He tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "None of your concern."

Akira opened her mouth to say something.

"No questions asked," he ordered looking at her sternly.

She sighed and looked down. Akira didn't want to go to school without Gaara. I mean, of course she had other friends, even ones that she had known longer that Gaara, but it just wouldn't be the same. Ever since they had met in 7th grade, there had been a click between them. They always did everything together and were hardly seen away from each other.

"Well then can I stay at your house tonight? There's gonna be no one at mine; I'd just be all alone; Kiba and Akamaru are on a mission 'til early tomorrow morning and Hinata is at a friend's house. Pleeeease?" she explained with the puppy dog face on.

"Fine…but I'm not staying on the couch again," he reminded with a glare at nothing in particular.

"Yay!" she exclaimed as she hugged him around the shoulders.

"Kin," he warned, his voice sounding testy.

She let go with a "gomen" and smiled brightly.

When they got to Gaara's house, Akira ran in giggling as Gaara shook his head disappointedly back and forth; why had he given her that key?

The Kazekage's son walked into his house, his hands in his pockets. He sighed, sitting on the couch as he turned on the TV knowing that his bubbly friend was already in the kitchen cooking.

She poked her head out and smiled. "Clam chowder, ok?" she recommended happily.

"Hn," he replied as he changed the channel, his face showing no emotion.

"Do you like clam chowder?" she asked, her eyebrow rose in an inquisitive gesture.

He nodded still facing the TV as she went back into the kitchen.

He didn't really listen to what she was making but he had learned that everything she made was good. She and Hinata would usually come over at least 5 times a week to cook something for him because without them, he'd be eating…Temari's food.

About 45 minutes later she came out with 2 bowls of something steaming.

Sitting down on the couch, she filled a spoon with clam chowder and put it to Gaara's nose.

"Mmm… smells like Akira's clam chowder," she said playfully.

He looked at her and then back at the TV. She glared at this.

"You said you… liked clam chowder," she recounted as she lowered the spoon back in the bowl.

She looked down at the bowl and then glared harder. "Fine, more for me then."

She spooned some into her mouth as her eyes went wide.

Dropping the plate with a yelp, she glared at Gaara who had caught it with his sand.

"Shit, Kin! Blow!" he scolded with a smirk.

"Why didn't you tell me it was hot!" she screamed, which really sounded like gibberish since she had her tongue out and was fanning it with her hand.

He scoffed. "Well I thought you would know. You made the damned food!" he said pointing out the obvious.

"Oh so now my food isn't good food it's _damned_food. Ok, I see how it is! You're on my list!"

"I'm on your li- what list, Kin?!" He sighed as he crossed his arms in front of him. "Look I'm sure you're just tired. Now get some rest and calm down," he said, calming himself down a little a little bit too.

"Calm down? CALM DOWN!? I am calm!"

Jus t then Kankuro and Temari walked through the door.

"Kankuro! I look calm, don't I? Completely calm, right?!RIGHT?!" she asked hysterically, her face red with anger.

"Yea, completely calm. Absolutely calm- actually, I've never seen you calmer." He lied as he put his hands in front of him for defense against the frightening Akira.

"See Gaara?! In your face! You weird, lying, clam hating…INSOMNIAC!" she yelled as she stomped away to the bedroom.

She walked a little and then turned around to face Kankuro and Temari with a smirk. "Oh yeah, clam chowder on the stove. Oyasumi (good night)!" she chimed with excitement evident in her voice.

Turning around, she made her way to Gaara's bedroom as she hummed, sweetly.

"It's poisoned," stated Kankuro.

"Yup," said Temari

"Hn," was Gaara's answer as he turned back to the TV.

* * *

_"Dear, you've done it," __congratulated__ a very sly voice behind her._

I didn't know…I didn't know I was sent to kill my…my… "_My parents?"_

_She dropped the bloody kunai and backed away looking at her blood stained hands. How could she do this? How _did _she do this? Last thing she remembered she was with __and now this?_

_Tears welled up in her eyes as she fell to the ground. She didn't know what to do anymore. It was because of her, that father was dead. Her, a twelve year old __jonin__ level ninja._

_"Why?" she whimpered as she brought her hands up to her eyes._

_She felt strong chakra behind her as a dark shadow consumed her body. "They were just in the way…you'll get over it soon enough…" he hissed into her ears._

_She closed her eyes and held onto her arms as tears slipped swiftly down her cheeks._

_As the wicked man reached the door he reminded her with a cackle. "Don't forget to whom you belong…"_

Akira woke up panting as cold sweat made its way down her arms. By seeing that she was still in Gaara's room and that it was only a dream, she groaned.

She sighed as the words, "_Don't forget to whom you belong…" _echoed through her head.

"How can I forget…when he left his mark behind…?" she thought as she grabbed the mark on the back of her neck.

She yawned and looked at the clock. It was 3:45 and she knew she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep after that, at least not by herself…She needed someone to help her with this. She needed someone to comfort her. She needed Gaara…

* * *

A/N: well theres my first chap! I hope u like!Plz review!luv u and laterz! 


	2. First Day of School

A/N: ok! I no I haven't gotten any reviews but I wanted to put this up anyways so…yeah! And this chapter was almost 18 pages long to write and 11 to type so if I don't get any reviews I will be a very pissed off princess, ok?

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Chapter 2: First Day of School 

The young kunoichi got up out of bed and walked over to the door. With a squeaking sound, it opened as she walked through the hallway. She could see the multi-colored lights hit the wall and knew there was only one person up at this ungodly hour in the morning; Gaara.

She silently crept up behind him with hands clasped in front of her and her head facing the ground.

"What do you want, Kin?"

His voice had startled her. Did he know she was there the whole time? Then she remembered that he had asked her a question.

"I…I…"

She couldn't just say she was having bad dreams. He'd just glare at her and send her off to bed.

"I couldn't sleep…"she answered truthfully as she looked off to the side.

"C'mere," he commanded, still looking at the television.

She obeyed the young sand-nin and slowly walked over to him. _I knew he would comfort me!_

She smiled as Gaara rolled his eyes at the striped silk bottoms and sports bra she wore to bed.

"Such a prep!" he replied with a smirk as he pulled her down on his lap.

"Am not!" she shot back playfully as she adjusted herself so only her legs were on top of him.

Akira laid her head on the arm of the couch. This was how they usually sat when they wanted to be comfortable. Akira remembered in 7th grade when he was sitting in the grass, she came over and did this to him like it was nothing. The look on his face made her giggle.

"Ok Kin, what's really going on?" he asked, his arms crossed as he raised an eyebrow at his friend.

She looked over and blushed, but with the only light in the room being the TV, it was not easily seen.

"I…I think you're going to laugh if I-"

He cut her off as he shook his head. She sighed and looked up at him. His face was blank but was that a hint of worry she saw?

"I had a bad dream…" she looked over to the side.

"Kin…" he cut in.

"No this one was bad. I just…" she couldn't find anything to say. Some nights she slept at his house she said she had had some dreams. These dreams, or nightmares he should say, just kept coming back.

"Now Kin, you do know that dreams aren't real…unless your dreams are about something that happened to you."

He gave her a side look from the TV; he definitely knew something was up.

"It's just…something of my past…" she mumbled as she got up, getting ready to go back to bed.

He pulled her back down into his lap. Akira could feel his breath on her neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Are you sure you're ok?" he whispered against her ear.

She smiled as she turned around and hugged him still in his lap.

"Positive," she answered gripping him tight.

She let out a happy moan and a giggle as Gaara smirked.

"Ok could you move out of the way now 'cause you're sort of blocking my fun," he said referring to the TV.

She let go of him with one more chcukle and then sat in her usual position, kissing him on the lips. He gladly smirked and then kissed her back.

Gaara looked at her and then looked into the hallway. She shook her head.

"Not unless you plan on coming with me," she teased as she stared at the television.

"Kin, bed. Now!" he ordered as his eyes turned into stern slits.

"Panda-chan…can I please sleep here?" she asked sweetly as she tilted her head.

"Not with that nickname, you can't," he argued.

"Oh come on Gaara! I've been calling you that since 7th grade. Tomorrow's the starting of senior year," she reminded as she hugged him. "Onegai-shimasu (please)?"

She looked up at him with enchanting golden eyes and mouthed 'please' once more.

He sighed as he looked back up at the TV.

"Yay!" she cheered with a cute smile. "Glad you see it my way," she said in a sing-song voice.

"Prep," he said dryly.

"Punk."

"Bitch."

Bastard."

"'Night"

"G'Night."

Gaara gazed down at Akira after checking her pulse to make sure she was asleep.

He could fell the steady warm breaths across his chest and the pleasant smell of milk and honey make its way up to his nose.

She almost seemed perfect to him.

The warm tan skin, fiery golden eyes, and dark black hair with gold tips. All of it.

And on top of that, _she _didn't have any demons inside of her.

_I take that personally_

He glared at his inner self.

_Good._

His eyes began to soften as he looked back down at her.

"You're perfect," he whispered softly as his hand swept across her hair.

And as if she was still awake and heard everything, she snuggled into him and mumbled 'Panda-chan' as she slowly drifted into a deep sleep.

"Kapeki…"

------SAYURIWASHERE------

Akira woke up with a moan as she snuggled back into the couch trying to find warmth.

Her eyes fluttered open to see her warmth was gone.

Angry, she looked up at the clock on the TV.

"7:45?!" she yelled as she jumped off the couch and went to the kitchen.

School started in a half an hour!

She smelled bacon cooking and saw Gaara in front of the stove.

"Ohayo, Kin," he greeted once he saw her.

She growled.

"Don't you "Ohayo!" me, dammit!"

"God, bitchy much?" grumbled Gaara to himself.

"I have school today! Why didn't you wake me up?!" she screamed icily. "And, yes! Yes I am! I'm always a bitch and you know it!" she shouted as she pointed an accusing finger at him.

"Look! I didn't know it was my job to wake you up for a school day _I'm _not attending," he answered. "Now do you want some bacon, or not?!"

"I have no time for bacon! I have to get ready for school!" she squealed as she ran up the stairs.

_I guess I have to help her…_Gaara thought to himself.

Curse her and her cuteness when she was angry.

He turned off the stove and walked up the stairs.

Going into his room, he got out some clothes she had left over at his house. He then knocked on the bathroom door.

"Kin, I brought you some clothes," he stated calmly.

"I'M TAKING A SHOWER!!" she bellowed through the door.

"Kin, I'm going to ask you one more time for you to open this fucking door," he warned as he clenched his fists.

"NO! You pervert!" she yelled back.

He groaned and used his sand to transport him into the bathroom.

A bar of soap flew at his head but was, as usual, blocked by his sand.

"Onore (damn you)!" she cursed loudly.

Gaara scowled and hung her clothes on the towel rack. "There are your damn clothes!"

He walked back down the stairs grumbling some not so appropriate things to himself.

"Damn Akira…always in my house being a bitch…lucky I think she's hot…"

…and stuff like that…anyway!

Gaara watched as Akira rushed down the stairs.

She was wearing a golden tube dress with slits all the way to her hip. Under that she wore black capris. She had on golden stilettos and golden bangles.

Her hair was up in a messy bun which was held gold chopsticks…she loved the color gold!

She grabbed her backpack and was about to bound out the door when Gaara held up his car keys.

"Need a ride?"

She smiled and unexpectedly hugged him tight.

"Thank-you, Panda-chan! I love you!"

"I know you do, bitch," he shot right back at her.

"I know you call me that out of love…" she said as she grabbed his hand and ran out the door.

He grabbed his backpack on the way out and smirked.

"Yea…" he assured dryly.

They were both pretty happy until…traffic.

Gaara rolled his eyes and honked his horn.

"We're ninja! Why do we have to go through this!?" Akira shouted to the heavens.

"Well, ninja are people too, Kin," Gaara explained.

Akira sighed knowing that school started in five minutes and they weren't even on the highway yet.

She spotted a familiar alleyway and shop.

"Gaara stop at this shop and park!" Akira commanded.

The young sand-nin did not even look at her; he simply kept on going.

"Gaara!" she screeched with a desperate look on her face.

"Ok, ok!" he answered as he took a left turn and parked.

As they got out, Akira ran to a big gate that was blocking an alleyway.

"Give me a boost!"

Gaara crossed his arms and shook his head back and forth.

"You're a ninja, do it yourself…"

"By myself?!" she cried as she put her hands on her hips.

"You've got a working pair of legs," he stated dryly.

"Which are currently in a dress!"

"You mean the dress over the pants?" he teased with a smirk.

"Just give me a little boost with your sand."

"Sou na (no way), too much chakra."

"Too much chakra?!"

"Yea. Plus the sand armor that I use?"

"Joudan ja nai (You've gotta be kidding me!)! Sand armor?!?"

"I can't risk not having one during the war between the Sound and the Mist."

"Whatev! Just give me a boost; we're going to be late!"

Gaara rolled his eyes and walked up to her, grabbing her by the waist.

He could feel her stiffen under his sudden touch at the wrong moment.

The Kazekage's son smirked; he knew she had expected for him to give her a boost from her feet.

He saw a slight blush on her face as he pushed her off the ground.

In the air, she flipped over the top of the fence and slid across the ground once she landed on it.

Gaara simply climbed up to the top of the fence and jumped off as he saw Akira push chakra to her feet and walk up the side of the building.

The red head followed suit as he reached the top of it.

Akira grabbed his hand and pointed to the north.

"There's the school. Seeing that we only have, I don't know, maybe 1 minute, its full speed towards Konoha High…" Anime tears began to fill her eyes. "…in heels…"

Gaara merely "hn"ed and started swiftly jumping from building to building, Akira groaning in pain as she followed.

As he jumped off the last building, he waited for Akira to jump down and scream…which was exactly what happened.

They looked around as they heard the bell ring.

"Dammit!" Gaara cursed as he grabbed Akira's hand and ran up the stairs.

"Gaara, please! The heels! Slow down!"

"No time," he groaned as he ran down the hallway and then stopped in front of the office.

He took a deep breath and then kept walking as if trying to ignore someone.

"Gaara-chan!" rang a voice.

Gaara flinched and turned towards the office door. A woman with dark, black hair and crimson eyes smirked playfully.

"There's a tardy slip calling your name over here," she joked as she waved a pink piece of paper in the air.

He twitched as Akira giggled and bowed slightly.

"Ohayo, Kurenai-san!"

"Ohayo, Akira-dono!"

Kurenai smiled and held up two different pieces of paper.

"And I'm just joking Gaara-sama. I'll let you off with a warning since it is the first day. Here are your schedules and give Kakashi my apologies," the young woman stated as Akira gasped.

"We get Kakashi-kun!?" Akira exploded as she jumped up and down, only to the effect of her feet hurting more.

"I assumed you'd be excited. You being his goddaughter," giggled Kurenai with a nod.

Akira grabbed the schedules as well as Gaara's hand and ran down the hall. "Let's go, Panda-chan!" she cooed enthusiastically.

They finally got to the door and opened it to see paper flying and their launchers sitting on desks.

Someone came up to the Akira and caught her in a warm hug.

"Kin-chan!"

By the soft, subtle sound of the person's voice and the suffix the person had used, Akira could tell exactly who it was.

"Hina-chan!" she screamed as she also tightened her grip on the girl. "How are you?"

"Fine and you, Kin, Gaara-sama?"

Gaara nodded acknowledging the girl.

Akira was one of the only people Hinata didn't stutter and blush towards. She had known Hinata for a long time. Actually, she, Hinata, and Kiba lived in the same house together.

Gaara shoved his hands in his pockets and walked over to a desk.

"Save me a seat?" Akira asked sweetly.

Gaara smirked. "Don't I always?"

Akira giggled and sighed as her eyes scanned around the class. "Our last year, ne?"

Hinata nodded and then her alabaster eyes shot open. "Have you heard anything from Kiba-kun?" worried Hinata frantically.

"I'm afraid not, Hina. But if he is back from his mission, we'll see him at lunch, no?" Akira assured, her golden eyes sparkling.

Hinata nodded and walked off to greet the rest of her fellow classmates.

Akira looked at the clock, sure it was 10 after 8:00 but come on, it's Kakashi we're talking about; the perverted teacher was always late.

Two hands came over Akira's eyes. She giggled.

"Guess who?" said the voice.

Akira squealed and turned around to a familiar face.

"Haku-kun!" she screamed as she literally jumped on the guy.

Haku laughed full-heartedly as he hugged the young girl.

"I was going to ask how you were doing, but it seems to me you're pretty happy, Akira-san," greeted the girlish-looking boy with a polite bow.

"Hey, that's Kin-chan to you," Akira joked. "Haku-san, where have you been this summer? While off of missions, I tried to check up on you, but you weren't home."

Haku smiled. "Ah, now you're the one being polite, Akira-san. This summer, I was given permission by the Hokage to go to my hometown," explained Haku with a smirk.

"You come from the same village as I, Haku-nii-san. We even share the same kekei genkai," murmured Akira as she shook her head with a nonchalant laugh. "Hokage-sama really let you visit the Mist?"

Haku's deep, brown eyes smiled at her as they sensed her worry. "I'm alive aren't I?"

She smiled sadly remembering her past. "…yea…"

Suddenly, there was a poof.

"I believe these are yours, Kin-chan?" asked a lazy voice.

The whole class looked up front to see a man with half of his face covered and shoved in a book.

"Knowing you, you probably wore a pair of heels because of your lack of these…"

The man held up a pair of gold flip-flops.

His one lazy eye showed indifference as he tossed the shoes at her.

Akira sighed in relief. "Arigato, Kashi-chan! My feet thank you kindly!" she exclaimed as she took off her stilettos and slipped on her flip-flops.

"Oh yeah, and Kurenai said she loved your shoes…"

Akira giggled nervously and sweatdropped.

_She can have them…_Akira thought to herself.

"Ok class…to your seats, now!"

Akira snapped out of her thought and took a seat in the back of the class next to Gaara.

"Do you just leave stuff at everyone's house?" asked Gaara as he looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Maybe…"

They both looked up in the front of the class and listened to Kakashi as he blabbered on about announcements and shit.

The bell rang as the adolescents gathered their stuff and made their way out the classroom.

Akira tensed a little and grabbed her neck.

"You ok?" asked Gaara noticing her discomfort.

She smiled. "Of course," she reassured as she picked up her books.

They were usually always the last one's to get in as well as the last to leave.

"Ok. I'll see you later…english…" he stated with a growl on his last word.

"Have fun. Bye, babe," she said more quiet than normal.

She began to walk out the door when Kakashi called her.

"About that time, isn't it Akira?"

She knew he was serious even though it wasn't apparent in his voice.

"I'll-"

She cut him off with a sigh. "I know; "be seeing you after school". I'm sure Kiba will drop me off," she growled as she walked out the door.

Kakashi smoothed a hand through his silver hair. "Poor kid…"

Akira closed the locker and gave a slight smile to her shy friend.

They began walking through the halls as they ignored the cat calls and whistles from the ignorant yet cowardly boys. They knew that if Gaara was there, they would have been more…_behaved_.

"How is it, Akira?"

Again Akira knew that Hinata was serious. She grabbed her shoulder again and rubbed it.

"You're very lucky, Hinata-chan…" Akira sighed sadly.

Hinata gasped as she looked at her sad friend. "Kin-chan…do you not know how lucky you are that you call me that? People respect you! Do you know how much I would give to be called 'Hinata-dono' for a day?"

Akira looked at Hinata and smiled. "At least you are deeply respected by your clan," she said with a giggle.

The heiress to the Hyuuga mansion sighed and gave the young prodigy an "are you crazy" look.

"Kin, you know very well that I am called Hinata-sama only because I am of the Head Branch and not because I am a looked-up-to ninja!" tisked Hinata as she raised an eyebrow and smirked at her best friend.

"But you are a good ninja, Hina!" laughed Akira cutely.

Hinata laughed along. "That's not the point!"

They turned into their next class as soon as the bell rang.

"Just on time, Akira-dono, Hyuuga-san," greeted a voice.

They looked up and smiled at their science teacher. She had short, black hair and onyx eyes.

"Ohayo, Shizune-sensei!" the greeted back as they sat down in two open seats.

They listened in class for the whole period and took notes quickly, a few flinches and groans coming from Akira. As soon as class was over, Akira was yet again called to be talked to by the teacher.

"You _are _going to check in on Tsunade-sama with this, right?"

Akira shook her head and sighed.

"This happens every year at this time; it's nothing I can't deal with. The Hokage does not need to be informed over this…" answered Akira bluntly.

"With all due respect, Kin-san, if Orochimaru were to come, would you not be the only one to know? This is for your protection, Akira. With the war going on, you are not very safe. All people who have _his_ curse mark aren't. Especially you, Akira…" she lectured, disappointed at the girl for being so nonchalant. "You being his only-"

Akira looked down sadly. "…I know…"

Shizune only smiled lightly and pulled her into a hug, "Gomen nasai…I'm sorry it had to be you of all people, Kin…"

------SAYURIWASHERE------

Akira held her books close to her chest as she walked alone now. The back of her shoulder hurt badly, but her thoughts and emotions cut deeper than any wound.

She was scared. Scared that if Orochimaru did come, it would be her fault. That the fall of the Leaf Village, would also be her fault. But the worst part was that she couldn't stop it. She couldn't erase the past.

How people would say that you can't always change the past, but you can change the future, would not help right now. Orochimaru _would_ come back for her and by the feeling in the back of her shoulder it would be soon.

She bit her lip and kept walking. But was she ready? Ready to tell all of her friends why she was so strong? Why she was a special jonin and they were all still chunin? Why a little 12 year old girl was found half dead at the Leaf Village gate five years ago?

She came to a stop in the middle of the hallway.

Was she?

* * *

A/N: ok! That was a long ass chap! Probably longer than I've done before! Also I'm sorry if she seems to be mary sueish! That's very rude of me and u should tell me if that's happening! Also, Haku and Akira are not related, they're just both from Mist with the same kekei genkai! And do u wanna know a secret? At first Akira's name was going to be Akari, but there was a typo and BOOM her name became Akira. Even though its actually a boy name…but I think it can be both too…ANYWAY!!!review! luv u and laterz!

--SAYURI--


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